Basque Soup

A Traditional Recipe From the Inland Countryside

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Nov 25, 2008 Minka Gantenbein

This recipe for Basque Soup is one that's quite similar to the soup served in many of the family style Basque restaurants in the Central California area.

There are a considerable number of variations for Basque Soup depending on which end of the border the chef happens to inhabit. Traditional Basque cuisine originated in the regions encompassing North-Central Spain and Southwestern France, along the Bay of Biscay and the Western Pyrenees mountains.

Around the inland area of the Basque countryside, vegetables and legumes grew in abundance and thus influenced the type of cuisine that was created there. This version of Basque Soup comes from the inland region, and utilizes the types of vegetables and legumes that were grown there.

Virtually fat free, low in calories but not low on taste, the following recipe for Basque Soup can be used as a first course in a traditional Basque family style meal or eaten alone for those with a lighter appetite. This particular soup is also completely vegetarian, while many other varieties of Basque Soup contain beef stock or fish as the base of the soup.

Basque Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 Small head of green cabbage, chopped
  • 2 Celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 Yellow onions, chopped
  • 1 16 oz can of stewed tomatoes or 2 cups of homemade stewed tomatoes
  • 1 Package of dry onion soup (optional, but recommended)
  • 9 cups of water
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large stock pot, pour in 9 cups of water.
  2. Add the package of dry onion soup mix and stir to combine.
  3. Add chopped cabbage, celery, onions and stewed tomatoes.
  4. Mix together well using a wooden spoon.
  5. Bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, immediately reduce heat to low and cover the soup with a lid.
  6. Simmer the soup for two hours at low heat.

Note: The traditional version of this soup does not include the dry onion soup mix. If you choose to omit this ingredient for the sake of tradition, the soup alone will be on the bland side. This can be remedied by the use of additions.

Additions

In many of the family style Basque Restaurants in Central California, this soup is served with pinto beans and pureed salsa. When serving the soup, spoon a few spoonfuls of warm pinto beans and a heaping spoonful of pureed salsa on top of the soup. French Bread is traditionally served alongside this Basque first course.

Servings

This recipe will make between 8 - 10 servings, and the soup can keep for up to one full week in the refrigerator. To increase the servings to 12, add two additional cups of water to the list of ingredients.

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Comments

Oct 8, 2009 9:33 PM
Guest :
Does anyone know the nutritional information for this recipe? All the info I could find was for recipes with meat and/ or butter and/or milk.
1 Comment:
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